Originally posted by Kryscendo So why is it so hard to make a camera close to 1x Magnification? Sounds like 100% viewing angle is important but if the magnification is way off, that could be something too.
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LumoLabs -- True reasons for Full Frame -- Whitepaper # 1.6. Viewfinder
btw, there is nothing special about 1x magnification. A viewfinder can be 1.5x as it can be 0.7x. But cost increases with perceived angle of view through the viewfinder (and the height of the eye point). This is well illustrated by wide angle scope oculars (eye pieces). Ironically, Pentax was considered one of the very best when it came to wide angle oculars (ask @jogiba). But I think Ricoh now closed that operation.
Perceived angle of view is proportional to:
Magnification x Coverage/100% / crop-factor
My MX has a stellar 0.92x for the perceived angle of view. But I always found it difficult to oversee the entire viewfinder image (I wear glasses). Back at that time, I considered that to be a weak point of the camera. (Now I know, the weak point is its eye point isn't high enough). The eye point is the maximum distance between eye piece rear element and pupil which allows the entire field of view to be projected into the eye.
This is the smc Pentax XW 10 eyepiece with 359,- USD MSRP:
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PentaxWebstore.com:Eyepiece smc Pentax XW 10 (1.25" tube) Eyepiece smc Pentax XW 10 (1.25" tube)
"this eyepiece features a 70 degree field of view and 20mm eye relief" (eye point).
70° FoV corresponds to a perceived angle of view of 1.50x! This shows what is feasible from a purely technical point of view.
Current VF are a cheapo compromise and I really hope to see exchangeable viewfinders again.
Wrt eye points:
Nikon F4: 22 mm
Nikon F100: 21 mm
Nikon D3, D700, D4: 18 mm
Nikon D800: 17 mm
Canon 5DmkII: 21 mm
One more thing: large viewfinders (with good eye relief) are large (one reason why cameras with no flash have better eye relief). It isn't reasonable to ask, at the same time, for the most compact FF
and for the best VF, in one camera. You must make a decision!